


Don't Leave me to Bleed

by arioto



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), First Meetings, Gay Panic, Hinata Hajime Swears, Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito-centric, How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort, Internalized Homophobia, Komaeda Nagito Being Komaeda Nagito, Komaeda Nagito's Luck Cycle, Light Angst, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Stabbing, Suffering Komaeda Nagito, Tired Hinata Hajime, hajime wonders "am i gay" like a bunch, i don't know anything about medical care, spoiler alert he is in fact gay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:54:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29176743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arioto/pseuds/arioto
Summary: Non-despair AU. Hinata Hajime works long shifts as a nurse in the cities hospital. He wakes up early and falls asleep late, every day, at the same time. One night, on his journey home, he encounters a strange, enchanting man with messy white hair and fading green eyes, bleeding out in an alleyway. Hinata has to make a choice. Should he help this man? Well, it's his job, isn't it?[infrequent updates!]
Relationships: Hinata Hajime & Nanami Chiaki, Hinata Hajime & Tsumiki Mikan, Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito
Comments: 13
Kudos: 98





	1. Long Days and Long Walks

**Author's Note:**

> i'm back!! it's been a while, but here's another fic written by yours truly, hopefully i can figure out how chapters work by the time i finish writing this, because i'd love to be able to write a multi-chapter story for once! anyway, i know nothing about medical care, so please correct any mistakes i make!! i'll try my very best to be accurate though!
> 
> i will not be using japanese honourifics in this fic, because i still need to do some more research on the correct uses for them, and i don't want to be disrespectful! i'd prefer to not use them at all than use them wrongly and disrespectfully. :)
> 
> forenames and surnames will be used interchangeably by the narration, but when characters speak to eachother, they will (hopefully) be used formally. 
> 
> bye this note is too long 
> 
> title is from "my heart is buried in venice" by ricky montgomery. i do not take credit for his work. 
> 
> enjoy!! :D

An alarm - siren, would be a better word for it - pierced through the quiet air of the hospital's break room. A chilling moment of calm before several nurses rose quickly, beginning to swiftly make their way to the emergency room.

The sparks of adrenaline flickering and fanning into a developing flame filled Hinata's veins as he and one of his fellow nurses, Mikan Tsumiki, rushed towards the room with two others that he wasn't very close with. A doctor greeted them curtly before barking orders and getting to work on the patient. 

Hinata looked over at the man on the operating table. He was tall, slightly underweight, and pale. Dying too, but not if Hajime could help it. 

The nurses and doctor worked quietly, mutterings of instructions and the shifting of equipment the only sounds in the small room, accompanied by pained wheezing from the boy on the table. In a blur of time, stitches were patching up blood clotted tears in the flesh and bandages covered the majority of wounds. 

A car accident, apparently. It was on the patients file they were given on the rush down. As well as the name. Not that Hajime could remember it, at the moment. He was just another patient. Just another life that was in their hands to save.

Carefully, Hinata took the boy’s arm into his hand, pulling out the medical tape and bandages and securely tightening it around his bicep and forearm. Another bandage was being placed on his leg by Tsumiki, and they glanced at each other and smiled.

The boy would be okay.

After finishing wrapping up the wounds and dosing the patient with some pain medication, Hajime was set free of the small operation room.

Making his way through the empty sterile hallways, he peeked down at his watch, pinned at his shirt pocket. An hour. He could leave in one hour. 

Honestly, the brunette had thought he'd been in the hospital for far longer than he should've been, but unless his watch was broken, he was exactly where he needed to be. 

A buzz at his side.

Perhaps not. 

It was his call button. A patient had most likely dropped something and couldn't get out of bed to get it. Sighing, the ahoge-topped boy shuffled on his feet back into the direction of the ward and knocked gently before entering. 

This patient Hajime knew. She had been in the hospital for a few days now, an unthreatening illness had taken over her small body, but she was healing and almost ready to leave. The girl was known amongst the staff for sleeping like the dead and playing on a handheld console for most of her time. Hinata smiled at her and made his way into her little room.

The room was ordinary. Simple. A hospital room, just like all the others. Plain, white walls, a simple bed, wooden dresser. Ah, but this room had a lovely pot of flowers on the table! Her guests from earlier must have dropped those by.

“Hello, Nanami. You buzzed?”

“Hinata! I was wondering if you could grab my console. Sonia and Gundham were by earlier and set it down a bit too far off. You don’t mind, do you?” Nanami sighed and pointed to the game, resting at the edge of the side table innocently, as her face flushed a little bit.

The corners of Hinata’s mouth curled as he chuckled and reached for the device. It was rare to see Chiaki Nanami without it in her hands, and when it was absent, she was most likely in a deep slumber.

Nanami muttered her thanks, turning the console on before twisting back to the nurse, “It’s not long until I can leave now, is it?” 

The small gleam in her eye was hopeful, and Hajime Hinata wouldn't lie to her.

“You’re healing well from the bug. I’d say a couple more days. For now though you just need rest.” 

“Ah, I see,” the clicking of buttons filled the short silence, “Thank you, Hinata. See you tomorrow.”

“Goodbye for now, Nanami.” He waved slightly before turning back and shutting the door, picking up his watch again. 

/Barely twenty minutes has passed. What else could I do to pass the time? Apart from the emergency patient, tonight has been pretty slow./

Hinata Hajime wasn’t one to get too impatient. 

Dragging a hand through his spiky hair, the brunette started to, once again, wander his way to the break room of his workplace. He could grab a drink, maybe a snack? He hadn't eaten in a while, and it was starting to catch up to him.

Gently tracing his fingertips along the cracks in the walls of the hallways, Hinata hummed to himself absentmindedly. He’d have to feed Monomi when he arrived home - Monomi was his cat, a sweet little thing. White, and fluffy, he’d almost mistaken her for a rabbit when he first picked her up.

Yes, he’d have to put down some food for her when he got back. 

She was most likely curled up on his bed anyway. 

Hajime blinked as he arrived at the small room, filled with quiet chatter. The old magazine rack was gone, it looks like they were finally starting to refurbish the place. Good. It needed a little brightness anyway. 

Grabbing a coin from his pocket, Hajime inserted it into the little vending machine in the corner, just pressing for a water and going to sit down in one of the small lounge chairs in the corner. 

A long day, barely any time to sit down. 

\-----

Stretching, the tired nurse yawned as he was finally able to check out of his shift. Finally able to make his way home and get some much needed sleep. He did not have another shift until tomorrow afternoon, and thus could sleep in - even if just for a little bit.

Feeling something pop in his back and groaning from the pressure of it, Hajime straightened his posture and grabbed his heavy coat. It was winter, after all. Barely beginning to snow out, but still cold enough to get sick. He wouldn't wish illness onto anyone with this weather, let alone wish anyone had to walk around out there.

The heavy back door of the staff entrance fell behind him as he shuffled along the wet sidewalk, snowflakes just starting to fall.

They were very pretty. Little drops of wonder on a miserable night. 

Pushing the dark fur hood across his head, the boy hunched into himself to keep warm and turned a corner, trudging the long way back to his little apartment in the cold midnight air.

\-----

Nagito Komaeda was an enigma - that much was obvious. Misfortune seemed to follow in his footsteps, often causing pain and anguish to his loved ones. 

That’s why he refused to have any.

A lonesome, rich boy, with nothing but his luck and the hope of a better future. What could possibly go wrong? 

Komaeda had been mugged plenty of times before, the majority of them he was actually willing to give up his wallet. At least something good would come to someone, if not him. He didn’t leave the house much; only when the empty hallways became too empty and unbearable, would he grab his shabby green jacket and not bother to lock the door behind him. 

So, when he was cornered in an alleyway, he shouldn’t really have been surprised.

He had been targeted for robberies in his home throughout his entire life, this couldn’t differ much from that, right?

It was just his luck.

It was a quick encounter, no words given from either person. Just the motions of a pocketknife puncturing pale, thin skin and a barely audible gasp of surprise, before the sound of weak knees hitting the ground and a body slumping to the dirty ground. 

Just his luck.

Nagito, still in a state of shock and panic, curled his body up against a grimy wall. He couldn’t complain, really. Worthless scum like him getting mugged was far better than anyone else. He was so lucky! Somebody could’ve been hurt! 

Suppressing a wheezy chuckle, the skinny boy curled up and fought for his consciousness stubbornly. He did not want to gain an infection in the wound. 

It was too late, his eyelids started drooping and his ragged breaths started to even out, before he passed out fully.


	2. Soft Smiles and Sleepy Compliments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A strange meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter 2 is here!! im really enjoying writing this so far-- i just hope i can keep up with it haha
> 
> a little detail to clear up from last chapter: the patient from the car crash was not nagito! he was just a random character :)
> 
> please enjoy this chapter! hopefully the next one will be out soon!!

The snow was starting to fall slightly heavier now, luckily Hinata was around half-way on his walk home. He’d be warm soon enough, hopefully with a hot cup of tea and a purring cat in his lap. 

Brushing off some of the white on his shoulder, Hajime turned another corner on his boring journey, barely glancing around.

He wouldn’t have even noticed the muted green jacked peeking out from a dark alleyway, if it wasn't for a small whimper of pain. The ahoge-d man stopped in his tracks. Eyes wide and heart stuttering. 

_ Was somebody there? _

No. That was ridiculous. It was most likely a cat or a dog that was in a garbage can. 

Hajime released the breath he was holding and went to step forward and continue, but not before the sound of a body hitting the ground and a pale hand was revealed from the corner.

_ Oh.  _

That  _ definitely  _ wasn't a cat or a dog. 

A moment, second, minute, who-knows-how-long passed before the shock settled and Hinata remembered that there was a potentially  _ dead  _ body right in front of him and he  _ had to do something because there is a  _ body  _ right there. _

He quickly shook his head and knelt beside the person. 

Heartbeat pounding and chest heaving, Hajime deftly checked for a pulse, pressing his ear against the other’s chest and sighing in relief when he heard a faint  _ thump, thump _ . 

Hinata looked up at the wounded

man, and realised he was staring back at him, steely green eyes melting into his own warmer ones. 

They locked eyes, and everything else in the world went silent, just for a moment.

If he peered closer, Hajime might have discovered dashes of blues and silver in those fading eyes.

The moment ended, as the white-haired man’s eyes rolled back slightly and he slumped again.

_ Shit! I was meant to be helping him! Not.. staring at him.  _

_ Was that weird to do?  _

_ Ack, that doesn't matter now! I have to help. _

The nurse went to pick up the boy. And smiled a little when he shifted and moved himself to be lifted up a little easier.

“Can you-- Can you stand?” He asked gently, trying not to overwhelm the other. 

The stranger nodded, moving again to pull themselves up onto his feet.

As soon as he managed to get slightly upright, his knees buckled. Vision blurring, the boy tried to grab onto the wall, or anything, really, to stop himself from-

Hinata was able to catch him before he fell.

“Ah, I’m so sorry.. You really don't have to-- To help me.” The stranger smiled shakily.

“It’s okay,” Hajime was easily able to slip a hand under the boy’s legs, and the other behind the small of his back, before picking him up gently.

Hajime was strong - not incredibly so, he had enough muscle and he certainly wasn't weak - but this stranger was frighteningly light. He wasn't  _ frail,  _ per se, but he was skinny, looking almost like a ghost too with how pale he was.

Heaving the man up and towards his chest, bridal style as to no dislodge the pocket knife stuck near his side, Hinata went to grab his mobile phone and muttered to himself, 

“We have to get you to the hospital. It’s not a fatal wound, but you need treatment immediately. The blood loss probably doesn't help either and--”

“No. No hospitals. Please..” An extremely weak reply, Hinata almost missed it, but the pleading eyes looking straight through his own told his words anyway. 

No hospitals? An odd request, sure, but Hajime was equipped with a full first aid kit at his apartment, and it wasn't as if the boy would die. 

“Why? Are you running from somebody?” A jolt ran through the brunette’s chest, was this a criminal? Should he be helping this man?

Even if he shouldn't, the skinny boy was close to passing out again, and he  _ needed _ medical care  _ now.  _

_ My apartment it is, I guess. _

It was probably worrying how quickly Hinata was able to accept the ‘no hospital’ request, but to his defence it was midnight in the middle of winter with snow starting to fall extremely heavily around them, and he  _ really _ wanted to get somewhere warmer.

“Okay-- Uh, no hospitals. I’m taking you to my place. It isn’t too far away and I’ll be able to give you some medication, too.” Hajime pulled him a little bit closer to his chest for warmth and started quickly down the sidewalk, trying to ignore the warm blood leaking onto his hands.

\-----

The walk didn't take long. Weaving his way expertly through the city streets and almost knocking over a cyclist, Hajime and the stranger were able to arrive fairly quickly. 

Practically running up the steps to his door, Hinata fumbled with the key for a second before it swung open quietly and he cranked up the heating to full blast, being greeted with loud meowing from his cat.

Ignoring Monomi for the moment, the brunette shuffled through and knocked the door shut with his foot before walking to the couch and placing the sleepy stranger onto it gently. He placed his hand onto his forehead, feeling clammy and flushed skin burning up with a fever.

That wasn’t good, he’d have to try and bring that fever down after taking care of the knife.

Speaking of, Hinata shuffled on his knees down to where the wound was. Not near any vital organs, nor anywhere that would be a pain to stitch. 

This could be a lot worse. 

Before doing anything drastic, Hajime looked up to the drifting man in his living room, 

“Hey, can you open your eyes for a second?”

A hum in response before glazed greens bore into his own.

“That’s good, you’re responding. Can you tell me your name?”

“K-- Komaeda Nagito..” Was the weak reply that came.

_ Komaeda Nagito? Pretty name for a pretty boy, I guess.  _

_ What the fuck, Hajime? You can’t just go around saying stuff like th-- _

“What's yours..?” Hajime was pulled from his strange thoughts by the raspy voice.

“Hinata Hajime. I’m a nurse. It’s nice to meet you, Komaeda. I’m going to stitch you up and give you some meds and food. That okay?”

“Ah-- I appreciate it, really, but you don’t have to go through all that trouble for someone like me! I’d be happy to get out of your way now..” Noticing that Nagito was attempting to sit up, Hajime quickly pressed him back into laying down,

“Don’t try to sit up, you’ll hurt yourself.”

Komaeda only sighed.

Hinata got to work quickly, placing warm towels under his patient and pulling gloves and equipment from the first aid kit, sterilising a needle in preparation for stitches. 

“Pulling out the knife now, try not to pass out on me, alright?” 

A quiet hum of confirmation, and then a hiss of pain as it was removed. 

Skilled hands quickly had the wound stitched and wrapped before much more blood was lost, and Hajime stood up and walked to his medicine cabinet in the bathroom, pulling out common brand pain medication and sleep pills-- just in case.

“Komaeda, do you need water to help you swallow pills?” 

“Ah, no. Though, really, you don’t have to--”

The nurse reappeared before him and held out the medicine, “Just take it.”

“If you wish!” Nagito downed them easily, not even asking what they were.

_ Well, that totally isn't worrying at all. _

His eyes starting to droop again from the combination of pills, Komaeda shifted on the couch before looking sleepily up at Hinata, “You’re beautiful. I think I’d like to get to know you better..” Before he fell into slumber, yet again.

_ What. _

_ Did he just say..? _

Wide eyes stared at the light haired man before him before blinking and stiffly walking away to feed his cat.

Hajime could think about that later..

For now he had to focus on maybe moving Komaeda somewhere more comfortable. He was clearly still in pain, trying feebly to hide it. 

Scooping up the boy,  _ is it strange how nicely he seems to fit in my arms? _ , Hajime moved him onto his bed. It was much more comfortable than the couch, and the poor boy looked like he hadn't slept in years. 

Smiling softly at his patient, Hinata shut the door and moved onto cleaning up the towels on the couch before grabbing a blanket and situating himself for sleep.

At least he could sleep in a little bit tomorrow.

Maybe he’d make something nice for breakfast. 

...Maybe. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!
> 
> once again, comments and criticism are always welcome!
> 
> stay safe, drink your water. i love you.
> 
> -luc


	3. Breakfast and Explanations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm back!! i'm so sorry for taking so long to update-- school has been difficult lately haha
> 
> this chapter has absolutely no plot, and i wrote it in one sitting, the time is currently 12:30am and i'm about to pass out from exhaustion lol
> 
> anyway-- enjoy this, there's nothing important to the story, hopefully next chapter something exciting will happen? ;)
> 
> as always-- enjoy!! :)

Nagito Komaeda was well and truly dead. 

Well, that is the only explanation, wasn't it? He was stabbed. He passed out in an alleyway in the middle of winter at around midnight. He couldn’t have survived through the night. 

He died alone and cold…

So why was he warm?

His mind was fuzzy, there was a dull aching in his side, presumably from the injury, but he didn’t know where he was, and didn't want to open his eyes. 

Opening his eyes would mean admitting defeat. 

He didn’t want to die. Not really.

Not yet, at least. 

Although, he didn't have much to live for. 

That didn’t matter now. What  _ did _ matter is that he was  _ warm and can I smell eggs?  _

That’s strange. Who knew the afterlife smelt of breakfast.

Perhaps he could rest a while longer, before accepting his unfortunate end.

\-----

Hajime Hinata was  _ not _ a morning person, per se, but luckily for him it was almost noon, and he didn’t have to go to work until later in the evening. 

Though, he supposed he could ask for emergency time off, seeing as he had an emergency patient sleeping in his bedroom.

_ That sounds weird to say. Don’t be weird about it, Hajime. _

Speaking of, it would probably be in his best interest to check up on said patient, as he was probably hungry, and still needed to gain his strength back.

Getting a major injury tended to weaken people, and with how skinny the stranger-- No, he said his name was Komaeda-- with how skinny Komaeda already was, he  _ definitely  _ needed to eat more. 

Hinata sighed at the realisation that with the pills he gave to the light haired boy, he was most likely very drowsy and may not remember what happened last night.

_ He might not remember the compliment he gave me.  _

Was that a good thing?

Probably. Hajime wasn’t gay. It was best if he just moved on from those confusing thoughts.

Shaking his head slightly, the brunette turned off the stove and shuffled his way through the one-floor apartment, noticing for the first time that morning that Monomi was nowhere to be seen. 

She probably went down the fire escape, outside the living room window. She liked to nose around the neighbours, specifically a short purple haired boy and his shy boyfriend. The cat seemed to take a liking to them, not that he’d ever spoken to the couple, but it was nice to know she trusted them at least.

His apartment wasn’t anything special, basic, warm, some might say cosy. Two bedrooms, a small bathroom with a tub all connected by a skinny hallway. Muted brown wallpaper that came with the place decorated the hall leading from the living room.

He wasn’t rich, but it was home. 

Hajime arrived before his bedroom door before he could even process how he should wake the guy up. He wasn’t sure how he would react-- or if he was already awake and an awkward conversation was about to ensue. 

Knocking quickly twice to announce his presence, Hinata pulled on the handle and pushed the door gently, letting it swing and peeking in, taking in the mass of white hair and a fluffy white cat at the foot of the bed.

Ah, that’s where she was.

A thought entered his mind quickly.  _ They look a bit similar. Fluffy, white hair.  _

Smiling at the two sleepers, he quietly shut the door and crossed to where he could crouch next to the bed, leaning on the side table for a bit of support and whispering a little bit,

“Hey, can you hear me?”

A twitch of a white eyebrow.

“Komaeda, It’s time to get up, you need to eat.” 

A small groan from just waking up, and the man shifted before slightly opening his eyes, “Am I dead?” 

Hajime blinked, “What?” 

The stranger stated back, “I was stabbed, wasn’t I? There's no way I survived that, my luck must have come to an unfortunate end.”

“Your… Luck? No, you’re alive. Do you remember me bringing you here? I stitched up your side.”

A hum of thought, before, “Ah, I thought it was a dream. Who would have thought anyone would be kind enough to save someone like me!”

Hinata scrunched up his nose at the comment,  _ The medication must still be in his system, he’s probably out of it.  _

“Well, you’re in my apartment, and you really need to eat. I made eggs. If you’re strong enough to get to the kitchen to eat, I’ll give you some. If not I can just bring it here.” 

Nagito simply stared at him, “You’re not just going to send me out?” 

“Uh-- No? Why on Earth would I kick you out when you’re recovering and it’s the middle of winter? Hell, I wasn’t sure if you even had a home when I took you in! What’s up with that ratty jacket?”

The mention of his beloved jacket made Komaeda freeze, before wrapping his arms around himself, “Did you throw it away?” He whispered, now not meeting Hajime’s eye.

“...No. It’s hanging up in the bathroom to dry, it was pretty much soaked through from the snow, and I washed it this morning.” Hajime was surprised by the sudden shyness, this stranger could switch emotions insanely quickly. 

Nagito smiled again before shifting and attempting to stand, pushing away the bed covers and gingerly placing his feet on the ground.

Hajime stood up and readied to catch him-- There was no way he’d be able to walk so soon with such an injury. 

The taller man’s knees buckled as soon as he was upright, and Hinata quickly stopped his fall. 

A similar position, a sense of deja vu. Komaeda’s thin frame once again in his arms.

“Ah, I guess I got too confident in my luck. My apologies!” An awkward chuckle, but he didn’t exactly move to escape the comfortable embrace. 

“It’s alright, I expected it. Nobody would be able to walk so soon. Sit back in bed, I’ll bring you breakfast.” A small smile, before Komaeda was lifted once again and placed back under the covers. 

Flushing, the pale boy simply nodded, watching Hajime exit the room and sighing when the door shut.

\-----

_What the hell is happening?_ _Was that weird that I picked him up again? Why did I do that? That was so awkward, why can’t I just act casual?_

Leaning on the kitchen counter with his head in his hands, Hinata Hajime let out a long sigh at his own embarrassment before sitting up and plating an egg and some toast for his guest. He really had to get himself together.

He’d never been so confused about his own feelings before. What was happening to him?

Monomi had followed him out of the bedroom, and was now demanding her own breakfast, purring and meowing loudly. 

Hajime set down her bowl of canned food and picked up the plate again. He’d already eaten his own breakfast, so there was only one to bring.

Perhaps he could learn a little bit more about this Komaeda Nagito. 

\-----

Nagito had never eaten anything as nice in his twenty two years of life. Not anything the house staff could make would even come close to Hinata’s cooking. At least, in his opinion anyway. 

They had talked a little bit more, Nagito explaining that he was on a walk when he was ambushed, and Hajime explaining that he was a nurse in the city’s hospital. 

Komaeda told Hinata about his misfortunate life, and the cycle of his luck;  _ it’s simple really, Hinata! For every lucky thing that happens to me, something terrible always must come after! _

It’s safe to say that Hajime was  _ slightly _ concerned.

“So, you think that me finding you was an act of pure luck?”

“Correct! It balances out the previous bad luck of my… Accident. I do worry about your safety for right now, though. Who know’s what my luck has in store for me now!” Nagito wheezed out a pained laugh, it seemed moving too much from the force of it agitated the neat stitches.

He’d have to be more careful.

For now, though, the two boys settled for talking and laughing over different little stories. 

Nagito put the thought of  _ something is going to happen soon.  _

_ Be careful. Get away from him. Keep him safe.  _

_ You only bring misery. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again, thank you for reading! i understand this chapter isnt as high quality, but it's better than nothing?
> 
> remember to drink your water! stay safe. i love you. 
> 
> -luc :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> update.

hey guys! just a quick little announcement!

it's been a while since the last chapter, and i'm just here to say this story will be continuing!! however i am going back into school this morning, and so updates will be a lot slower than before :(

that's it! stay safe everyone :))  
drink some water, i love you  
-luc


End file.
